Senior Commercial Counsel (Contract)

About Baringa

Baringa is a global consulting firm that partners with leaders to drive change and create value. With deep industry expertise, and enabled by advanced technology, the firm helps clients to deliver with greater confidence and certainty. With over 2,000 people across the UK, Europe, North America, Asia and Australia, the firm combines global insight with local understanding.

The firm works across energy and resources, financial services, government and public sector, consumer products and retail, pharmaceuticals and life sciences, manufacturing, and technology, media and telecoms, with capabilities spanning strategy, transformation and operational excellence – all powered by advanced technology, data, AI and digital innovation.

Clients value Baringa’s collaborative approach and the way its teams integrate seamlessly – all working with a shared understanding of what matters most. The firm is known for its kind, curious experts who listen closely and care deeply about client success as they help clients transform energy markets, modernise financial platforms, expand telecoms and digital networks through advanced data analytics, enable digital services in government, and unlock growth in consumer sectors.

Certified as a Great Place to Work around the world, Baringa has been recognised by the Financial Times in 22 categories of its UK Leading Management Consultants rankings, and by Forbes for four consecutive years as one of the World’s Best Management Consulting Firms.

Our Commercial Legal team are looking for an experienced Senior Commercial Counsel to join them for 6 months on a day rate basis.

Commercial Legal partners with the business, providing specialised legal, commercial and risk management support to enable confident growth. Everything from shaping and negotiating client contracts, to data, technology and AI deals, partnerships and contract risk.

This role will report into the Commercial Legal Director, working closely with the Legal & Business Integrity and Baringa Enablement teams and wider firm leadership. It is a senior, team-leadership role: you will lead and line-manage a team of commercial lawyers – setting priorities, overseeing their work and supporting their development – alongside running your own caseload.

We are looking for a high-energy senior commercial lawyer, with strong experience in digital contracting (data, technology delivery, AI, cloud, etc) and the ability to lead and develop a team, to join Baringa’s Commercial Legal team.

What you will be doing

Leading and line-managing a team of commercial lawyers – allocating and overseeing work, managing performance, and supporting their development and progression.

Acting as a senior lawyer in the Commercial Legal team, leading on complex digital deals (data, technology delivery, AI and cloud) across a broad range of commercial contracts.

Supporting the wider Legal team and Baringa business with best practice guidance, continuous improvement and training.

Preparing and negotiating contracts, working closely with the consultancy staff and engagement partner. These will include One-off Services Agreements, Framework Agreements, Licence Agreements, Sub-contracts, etc.

Delivering contract risk analysis to Baringa’s senior management and arranging for escalation of higher risk contract items to Baringa’s wider Sector Lead group for approval.

Critically evaluating, challenging and updating Baringa’s Contract Risk Scorecard positions.

Liaising with Baringa’s insurance brokers to ensure client contract language during negotiation remains within coverage.

Coaching, developing and supporting the lawyers in your team, helping them grow and progress their careers at Baringa.

This is a critical role in the Baringa Commercial Legal team, working directly with partners and senior leadership across the firm, and coordinating with others across Baringa Enablement (People, Finance, Data, IT, Infosec and others).

Your skills and experience

Qualified solicitor or barrister in England & Wales or a commonwealth country, with a minimum of 6 years of post-qualification experience.

Strong commercial law experience with deep, demonstrable expertise in digital contracting – cloud, data, AI and technology delivery and implementation. This digital experience is essential and central to the role.

Confident negotiator with the skillset to handle complex discussions with large international clients, banks and their external law firm advisors.

Understanding of international business practices and cultures.

Proven ability to lead, line-manage and develop a team of lawyers, and to work effectively with senior stakeholders.

Strong commercial risk assessment and sound, pragmatic judgement – able to identify, weigh and clearly articulate legal and commercial risk and make confident recommendations to senior stakeholders.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex legal and contractual issues for non-legal audiences and to deliver clear guidance and training.

Highly organised and resilient, able to manage a varied caseload, prioritise effectively and deliver to deadlines in a fast-paced environment while overseeing the work of the team.

A continuous-improvement mindset, including developing precedents, playbooks and best-practice guidance; familiarity with legal technology and contract lifecycle management (CLM) tools is an advantage.

Working knowledge of the data protection and regulatory issues relevant to data, technology and AI contracting.

What a career at Baringa will give you

Putting   People   First.

Baringa is a People First company and wellbeing is at the forefront of our culture. We recognise the importance of work-life balance and flexible working and provide our staff amazing benefits. Some of these benefits include:

Generous Annual Leave Policy:  We recognise everyone needs a well-deserved break. We provide our employees with 5 weeks of annual leave, fully available at the start of each year. In addition to this, we have introduced our 5-Year Recharge benefit which allows all employees an additional 2 weeks of paid leave after 5 years continuous service.

Flexible Working:  We know that the ‘ideal’ work-life balance will vary from person to person and change at different stages of our working lives. To accommodate this, we have implemented a hybrid working policy and introduced more flexibility around taking unpaid leave.

Corporate Responsibility Days:  Our world is important to us, so all our employees get 3 every year to help social and environmental causes and increase our impact on the communities that mean the most to us.

Wellbeing Fund:  We want to encourage all employees to take charge and prioritise their own wellbeing. We’ve introduced our annual People Fund to support this by offering every individual a fund to support and manage their wellbeing through an activity of their choice.

Profit Share Scheme:  All employees participate in the Baringa Group Profit Share Scheme so everyone has a stake in the company’s success.